Abraham Lincoln: “Gold is good in its place, but living, brave, patriotic men are better than gold.”

I believe that it is not only possible, but in fact easier, to do this without deciding or even considering whether these States have ever been out of the Union, than with it.

The question is, will it be wiser to take it as it is and help to improve it, or to reject and disperse it?

I do the very best I know how--the very best I can; and I mean to keep doing so until the end.

He said, with a great deal of emphasis, and with an expression of countenance I shall never forget: "When a man is sincerely penitent for his misdeeds, and gives satisfactory evidence of the same, he can safely be pardoned, and there is no…